A request from Morocco 2026 to present their bid in front of the South American Football Confederation was reportedly refused ©Getty Images

A request from Morocco 2026 to present their bid in front of the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) has reportedly been refused by the governing body as Zimbabwe and Namibia became the latest African countries to claim they will vote for United 2026.

According to ESPN FC, CONMEBOL, which has already declared its backing for the joint bid from the United States, Canada and Mexico, have denied Morocco 2026 the chance to give a final pitch prior to the vote at the FIFA Congress in Moscow on June 13.

In correspondence published by ESPN FC, CONMEBOL President Alejandro Dominguez declined the request from the Moroccan bid after claiming they had already had the opportunity to present to the continental body's Council last month.

The news marks a blow to the Moroccan candidacy, still considered the outsider in the two-horse race.

Zimbabwe and Namibia follow Liberia in defying a call from Confederation of African Football President Ahmad for all African members to get behind the Moroccan attempt.

Both have confirmed their intention to support the United 2026 bid rather than Morocco.

German Football Association President Reinhard Grindel claimed today that he was unsure of which bid they would vote for ©Getty Images
German Football Association President Reinhard Grindel claimed today that he was unsure of which bid they would vote for ©Getty Images

Other countries to have recently announced their plan to vote for the joint North American bid include Saudi Arabia, thought to be involved in a recent investment offer to FIFA involving potential changes to the Club World Cup and the formation of a new Nations League tournament, and Afghanistan.

German Football Association President Reinhard Grindel claimed today that he was undecided on where the country's vote would go.

Grindel conceded, however, that the reports from the FIFA Evaluation Task Force - which cleared both bids to proceed to the FIFA Council for approval - "hands the momentum" to the United 2026 bid because the panel "sees advantages in the areas of stadium, transport as well as ticketing and hospitality".

The report from the evaluation group, which had the power to exclude either candidate if they did not score two out of five across various requirements, was damning of the Moroccan candidacy.

The panel identified three high risk areas - stadiums, accommodation and accommodation/transport - after they conducted two visits to Morocco.

The report was also at pains to highlight how all 14 stadiums proposed as part of the Moroccan bid would need building or renovating.

All 207 eligible Member Associations will have a vote at the Congress in the Russian capital, held before the opening game of the 2018 World Cup between Russia and Saudi Arabia.